Cindy is a 20-minute AMRAP of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups and 15 air squats. Repeat that order for the full 20 minutes, then score completed rounds plus extra reps. Each full round contains 30 reps.
Cindy workout
20-minute AMRAP:
- 5 pull-ups
- 10 push-ups
- 15 air squats
Score total rounds plus additional repetitions.
How to score Cindy: rounds plus reps
If the clock stops after 12 rounds, 5 pull-ups and 7 push-ups, record 12 rounds + 12 reps. That equals 372 total reps: 12 × 30 + 12. Do not write “12.12 rounds”; the extra reps are not a decimal fraction of a round.
| Completed rounds | Average time per round | Total reps |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 2:00 | 300 |
| 15 | 1:20 | 450 |
| 20 | 1:00 | 600 |
| 25 | 0:48 | 750 |
These averages include transitions and rests. Choose a sustainable rhythm, and record the same movement standards when repeating the test.
What Cindy tests
Cindy tests bodyweight pulling, pressing, squatting and the ability to hold a sustainable pace for 20 minutes.
How to scale Cindy
CrossFit’s Cindy guide gives a beginner option: a 12-minute AMRAP of 3 ring rows, 6 assisted push-ups and 9 squats. Each beginner round has 18 reps. Record the duration and substitutions; its round score is not equivalent to a 20-minute, 5-10-15 attempt.
Intermediate athletes can keep the prescribed workout or reduce pull-up and push-up reps when full range of motion or manageable breaks cannot be maintained. Scale the push-up to an incline or assisted version you can repeat with control.
Training at home without a pull-up bar? Choose a session from our CrossFit workouts at home, organized by equipment and available time.
Cindy strategy
Start at a pace that feels almost too controlled. Short transitions matter. Break push-ups before failure if pressing endurance is the limiter, and avoid turning the squats into recovery so slow that overall round time drifts.
Palm coverage for repeated rounds: Compare gymnastics grips for Cindy's pull-ups by your usual bar surface and the manufacturer's sizing method. Treat grips as an optional accessory and keep the pull-up volume within what your hands and technique tolerate.
Twenty rounds of Cindy’s 5-10-15 rep scheme make the middle 100/200/300 reps of full Murph. Cindy itself remains a twenty-minute AMRAP; the two workouts are different. Use our Murph rep partition calculator to plan the longer benchmark and its run splits.
Workouts similar to Cindy
If you like Cindy's simple bodyweight triplet, the Workout Generator can create another session around the same equipment and conditioning profile.
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Movement standards and substitutions
Choose and record your movement version before starting. The pull-up illustration below demonstrates the strict variation. Record strict, kipping or assisted pull-ups explicitly; a score using one version is not an equivalent test of another. Keep the duration, rep scheme and substitutions with the score.
- Strict pull-up example: begin with elbows extended in a controlled hang, pull without a kip until the chin is above the bar, then return to the extended-arm position.
- Floor push-up: lower until the chest contacts the floor and press back to full elbow extension while maintaining a rigid body. A rep stopping above the floor is not the same standard. If using an incline or assistance, record it and repeat that setup.
- Air squat: descend until the hip crease is below the top of the knee, then stand to full hip and knee extension. Keep heels down and knees tracking with the toes; record a reduced-range or target-assisted version separately.
Review CrossFit’s Cindy prescription and scaling, strict pull-up demonstration, push-up standards and air-squat instructions. Use a repeatable scaled version when the full range cannot be maintained.
Example log: “20 minutes, 12 rounds + 12 reps; strict pull-ups, chest-to-floor push-ups, full-depth air squats.” Keep a kipping or assisted attempt labelled accordingly rather than treating its score as interchangeable.
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